What can you read?

Welcome to De-Commissioned, a place for former members of the Great Commission movement (aka GCM, GCC, GCAC, GCI, the Blitz) to discuss problems they've experienced in the association's practices and theology.

You may read and post, but some features are restricted to registered members. Please consider registering to gain full access! Registration is free and only takes a few moments to complete.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

There have been periods where reading the bible was too triggering because I could only read it through the lens of GCX (i.e. through a lens of shame and condemnation) and didn't have anything else to replace it with.  I have since developed a new framework and enjoy the bible, but wondering what parts of scripture were helpful after leaving?

What I could handle were:

The Apostle's Creed (not in the bible, I realize, but those basics of faith were what I could say I knew to be true even if I wasn't sure of the details)
Matthew 23
Fruit of the Spirit
Psalms that expressed emotions and anger
Gospels
Verses about false teachers

[Linda]

Hebrews 13:17 is forever ruined for me.

It's a classic and you know it's coming when you see a message or series on leadership.

On a positive note, Ezekiel 34 has been a HUGE blessing. It's a warning against the shepherds of Israel. A prophecy against those who misuse their position. And a statement that God himself will shepherd those who have been mistreated by them.

11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.[a] I will feed them in justice.

[Janet Easson Martin]

Hi Rebel in a Good Way!

That's a good question.  For me, I could only read the Psalms for quite a while after I "escaped" the grip of GCx because so many other sections of scripture brought back old associations and interpretations I'd been taught there that felt so condemning.  I could relate most to The Psalms because as you said they expressed real emotions and honesty with God.

I totally agree with you about the lens of condemnation and shame in which many scriptures were taught to us. A lot of scriptures still stung me as they triggered being verbally beat into submission with the Word of God. I used to feel guilty about not being able to read anywhere in the Bible.  Then, one of the most godly women in my new church (after leaving GCx) shared with me that there was a period in her life where she couldn't bring herself to read her bible for a year because of the difficulty of a trial she was facing.  I felt much better about myself after that.  

It actually helped to hear the Bible preached without a right hook and a left punch.  Being offered it without manipulation for my own processing and personal application.  It was refreshing to hear a church leader's disagreement with rash statements like "If Jesus isn't Lord of all, He isn't Lord at all".  Those kind of all or nothing claims only served to greatly discourage me and trigger "not good enough" thoughts toward my relationship with Christ.  I had enough of those "threats" in GCx.  They took away the joy of my own journey with Jesus.  I certainly hadn't gained spiritual perfection and likely never would this side of heaven.  

Hearing the Bible from several different grace-based teachers who seemed to have the gift of encouragement either in books, or on tapes (back then) REALLY helped.  I learned the scriptures could indeed build me up instead of tear me down.  After a while of hearing teaching different than GCx, the old associations with passages began to loose their grip; and today very rarely raise their ugly head.

[Rebel in a Good Way]

Linda, thanks for the reference of Ezekiel 34!  That is interesting because when we left our second cult-like church (seriously, I couldn't make this up!) Jeremiah was of great comfort to us, especially Jer 6:14.

They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.

This was after the church blew up (making the local newspaper) and the remaining people just wanted to move on rather than confront the abuse.  Blech.  You know, like another denomination we know of

Janet, I agree that it can take gentle "re-teaching" and new approaches to Scripture.  And that taking a break from the bible all together is not a bad thing.  And if you think about it, people participated in the Christian faith without even having a bible to read for more of Christian history than the time period in which we have had bibles.  While I value our ability to have a personal connection to the word, my whole point is that it is not the only way to connect with God.  In fact, when the bible was confusing I looked for God in nature and in the goodness I saw in the world around me.  Reading spiritual abuse books and how they re-taught certain concepts was also helpful (Twisted Scripture by Mary Alice Chrnalger was particularly great).

[Differentstrokes]

Thanks for this. I used to have Philippians memorized, but haven't been able to pick up my bible since leaving, but I think I'm ready to give it another shot...